Love Everlasting
by brucas025
Summary: Brooke ran across the grass as Lucas chased her. She pumped her legs, her arms flailing, and he followed her, determined to catch her. There was no way a girl would out run him. BLBrucas ONE SHOT. Rate & Review.


Brooke ran across the grass as Lucas chased her. She pumped her legs, her arms flailing, and he followed her, determined to catch her. There was no way a girl would out run him. She kept running, her breaths shortening by the moment, and Lucas started getting closer to her. He reached out to grab her arm, but only grazed it. Brooke laughed loudly realizing Lucas still hadn't caught her. She ran from the grass down the street and Lucas pushed himself harder.

"You... are... not... out... running... me..." he said between sharp breaths. She giggled louder now as she made her way onto someone else's front lawn. Lucas lurched forward to grab her, she was so close. He pounced on top of her and the two rolled intertwined down the slope of the yard laughing hard. They finally came to a stop and Brooke clutched her stomach in laughter.

"You, Lucas Scott," she said, catching her breath. "Are a slow-poke!"

"I let you win," Lucas mumbled. She looked at him and burst into laughter once again.

"You did not just say that!" The two were now sitting up and Brooke gave Lucas a shove. Lucas looked at her, his face twisted in frustration.

"I felt bad for you... So I let you win. Promise!" he said holding his hands up, his palms showing.

The two were fourteen now, and had been best friends since they were four. They were neighbors and Brooke had always liked having a playmate nextdoor since Peyton's house was on the other side of town and her nannies were not the most easy to relate to. Her parents were never around, so Karen, Lucas's mom, had become Brooke's motherly figure. Keith had become like a father to both Brooke and Lucas. Lucas had spent countless nights listening to Keith and his mom on the porch joking about how Brooke and Lucas would end up falling in love, that's how much time they spent together. Lucas hadn't thought about this much, but couldn't help but wonder if maybe they were right.

Peyton had been with them since they were younger too, but she had never been as adventurous as Brooke. On the other hand, neither had Lucas until Brooke came along.

Brooke and Lucas were partners in crime. If Brooke wanted to steal gum from Whitey's Convenience Store, Lucas would try and change her mind. But in the end, Brooke always got her way, and Lucas would walk out with a pack stuffed in his pocket as well.

But, in all ten years of their friendship, Brooke had never been able to out run Lucas for more than five minutes.

Lucas watched the brunette fall backwards onto the grass, letting her hands fall to her sides lifelessly. Her chest heaved up and down, still gaining her breath back from the chase, and Lucas couldn't help but notice she had started looking less and less like a little girl and more like a woman. She wore a camisole that came up just above the waist of her pants. She had traded hair elastics for a flat-iron and let her hair flow down her bare shoulders. Her formally flat chest showed signs of development and Lucas wasn't sure if it had happened over night or if he was just noticing all of this for the first time now.

"Look at this cloud," Brooke said as she reached for the back of Lucas's gray Keith Scott Motor's t-shirt. She pulled him backwards and he fell next to her, their bodies parallel to one another.

Brooke pointed to the summer sky. "Doesn't it look like a basketball?" she asked.

And then there was basketball.

This summer was going to change everything, and Lucas could feel it. Brooke had made the cheerleading squad for their upcoming freshman year of high school and she was off to cheer-camp for two months while Lucas stayed home and practiced day and night for basketball. Tryouts were the first week of school and he was going to make it no matter what. No one was getting in the way of his dream. High school was going to be harder than junior high, but Lucas was ready for the challenge.

Lucas squinted at the sky. "Yeah, kinda. Yeah. It actually does look like one."

"Are you nervous for tryouts?" Brooke asked, turning her head to face him. He turned his head to meet her eyes. He looked into them. He had never noticed how gorgeous they were. They were hazel and had tiny flecks of gold in them. He noticed that she had mascara on which made her eyes pop out a little more.

"Yeah. But I'm gonna make it. No matter what," he said matter-of-factly. "And what about you? A cheerleader? Who knew the girl who spent most of her time at the Rivercourt with me and the guys, with the exception of Peyton, would be some big time cheerleader?"

Brooke blushed. "I don't know! I mean, I wanted to try something new, I didn't think I'd actually make it!" she giggled. She left for cheer-camp in two days and Lucas wasn't sure how he would survive an entire summer without her. Who would he sit with on the porch from night until the sun rose? Who would he make smores with over the stove while his mom and Keith were out? Who would help him when his half-brother, Nathan, bullied him? Who would he hang out with all the time?

Lucas lost himself in thought as he looked at the bright blue sky.

"I'm gonna miss ya, Broody," Brooke said suddenly, as if she had been reading Lucas's mind. "Hm... Broody. I like it. That's your new nickname," she decided. She let out a small giggle.

"I'm gonna miss you too."

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Lucas ran across his own lawn and onto Brooke's. He had put on some muscle over the summer due to the fact that he had been training so hard for basketball. He was wearing a white muscle shirt to show off his new physique. But he didn't care about what he looked like: Brooke had just gotten home today.

He ran swiftly up the porch stairs to her red door and rang the bell continuously until he heard the click of a key on the other side of the door. It opened slowly as he waited, smiling in anticipation. The door finally opened all the way and a girl he hardly recognized stood before him. She was still wearing her Ravens uniform, still fresh off the cheer bus. She had lost all of her baby fat due to the intense excercises at camp and Lucas couldn't help but notice how good she looked.

"Lucas!" she shrieked as she jumped and hugged him. Still bewildered by how much one person could change in two months, he slowly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in to him.

She pushed back from the embrace and examined him. "Look at you! All built and toned!" She gave his arm a squeeze and Lucas blushed slightly. "You're gonna be the only freshman boy who can snag a senior girl as their girlfriend," she stated still smiling.

"You look great," he noted, ignoring her comments. She smiled at him, her cheeks flushing.

"Thanks," she said.

And with that said, he dove in and kissed her.

"What was that for?" she asked softly, pulling back from the kiss.

"I don't really know..." Lucas said honestly.

"Can we do it again?" she asked, a small smile playing on her face. He grinned.

"We can do it as many times as you want," he stated, smiling playfully. This time, she pulled him in for the kiss.

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They walked down the boardwalk holding hands. They were giggling at each other's stories and anyone could tell that they were crazy about each other. But neither one had ever brought out the words that would make it official. They sat down on a bench that overlooked the ocean.

Brooke snuggled closely to Lucas as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"It's so beautiful," she said, admiring the crashing waves.

Say it.

"Just like you," Lucas said as he smiled at his corniness. Brooke released a small laugh.

Sat it.

They sat for a moment, looking into each other's eyes wondering what the other was thinking.

"I love you," they both blurted at the same time. The words rolled out effortlessly off both of their tongues. They smiled and Lucas put his hand on the back of Brooke's neck, ushering her in for a kiss.

Hearing these words, Brooke realized that Lucas was the one. She grabbed his hand silently and led him to where they had parked Lucas's car. She got into the backseat and Lucas followed, unsure of what was going through her head. She leaned up against the door of the car as she began taking her shirt off, signalling what she wanted.

"Are you sure?" Lucas said, not wanting to pressure her. But he knew this was right.

Brooke nodded as she leaned into kiss him, slowly pulling his shirt off as well.

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"Why were you alone with Peyton, Lucas? It's a simple question," she said as calmly as she could. Her arms were folded across her chest as they stood on the lawn between their two houses. She shivered as a gust of wind engulfed them.

"She was dropping off a CD and then we just stayed and hung out for a little while!" Lucas protested.

"You know she's always had a crush on you, Luke..."

"No she hasn't! You must be kidding me. You're her best friend, I'm sure she'd ever do that to you."

"Oh, so that makes it okay to be alone with her for hours, because she's my best friend and she would never fuck me over for you? Good excuse Lucas," she said angrily as she walked past him to her house. He followed her, trying not to run, but still trying to keep up with her. She started walking faster, and before he knew it, he found the same red door he had come to love being slammed in his face. He knocked consistently.

"Brooke, open the door. Brooke, I know you're sitting there and I know you hear me," he said. He finally gave up after ten minutes and began walking away. Halfway back to his house, he realized that this wasn't worth it. It was their first fight, but it was dumb, and it deserved more than just a few knocks on her door. So, he sat down in front of Brooke's door, his back pressed up against it, and waited. Brooke sat on the other side of the door in the same position, but it took until morning for her to open the door.

She walked out at 9AM, the underneath of her eyes dark from her lack of sleep. She sat down next to Lucas.

"I'm sorry," he offered.

She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder and let herself drift off to sleep.

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It was the last day of senior year. Brooke was leaving for FIT in New York in a few days while Lucas had chosen to go to UNC. They had promised each other that the distance would be okay, that they would talk every night. They had sworn that what they had was real and that they would be together on holidays and vacations. Yet, Lucas couldn't imagine himself with out seeing Brooke everyday.

Lucas and Brooke stood silently on the Rivercourt. Lucas kept taking foul shots while Brooke decided to sit on the edge of the court, where the blacktop met the grass. It was night time but the court was illuminated by the lights.

They remained silent, each wondering where college would take them. They both worried it would pull them apart. Lucas had known that college had pulled Dan and his mom apart. He was afraid the same thing would happen with him and Brooke.

He reached into his pocket and ran his finger over the velvety material that was tucked inside, unsure of what he should do.

"Brooke," he said as he walked toward her. She stood up to meet him halfway. She watched him as he got down on one knee and produced a red velvet box from his pocket. It had been his grandmother's and now, if Brooke would have him, it would be hers.

"Will you marry me?"

Brooke smiled widely. "Yes of course I will!" she screamed as she got down to his level and hugged him. They both fell backwards, Brooke on top of Lucas. Once they got up, Lucas slipped the ring onto Brooke's finger as tears of happiness rolled down her cheeks.

"I love you, Pretty Girl," he said using her nickname.

"I love you too, Broody," she said kissing him lightly.

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Brooke watched her ten year old daughter from the kitchen window. She was on the front lawn waiting for their neighbor's son, Adam, to come over. Brooke watched as Adam ran across his own lawn onto the Scott's lawn and breathlessly stop himself when he reached Grace, Brooke and Lucas's daughter. Brooke felt Lucas come behind her as she stood over the sink, his arms wrapping around her waist. The two watched as Grace and Adam giggled, tackling each other playfully and Brooke smiled, knowing where this would lead.

Lucas kissed her neck seeing the same sight and both lost themselves in memories of where their own love had began.

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"Mr. Scott," Adam said, clearing his throat. "Can I talk to you?"

It was Thanksgiving. Grace and Adam had flown home from UNC together and Grace had invited Adam to join their family for Thanksgiving dinner. They had been dating for almost three years now, and Brooke couldn't help but see herself and Lucas when she looked at Adam and Grace. Each time she saw them holding hands or sharing a quick kiss while they thought no one was looking, Brooke was filled with the warmth and reminders of why she loved Lucas so much.

Lucas nodded at Adam before saying, "Call me Luke, Adam." He placed a hand on Adam's shoulder, reassuringly, as they walked outside onto the front lawn of the white house with the red door.

They stood facing one another.

"So, what's going on?" Lucas questioned. Adam shifted nervously.

"I just wanted your permission..." he coughed. "I want to ask Grace to marry me, sir. I just wanted to make sure that was okay with you."

Lucas hugged Adam and patted his back. "It's more than okay," he said once they broke apart.

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Lucas and Brooke sat next to each other at the reception, the whole feeling of watching their daughter getting married still surreal to them. The newly-weds began dancing together, and soon various guests joined them on the dance floor.

Lucas stood up from his seat and reached his hand out. "Dance with me," Lucas said and Brooke placed her hand in his.

They walked onto the dance floor and swayed to the intoxicating music. Lucas's hand on Brooke's waist, Brooke's head resting on his chest listening to each beat of his heart. Lucas pulled her closer, never wanting to let her go.

And suddenly, they were both fourteen again, sharing a kiss on Brooke's front porch after a long summer apart.

The first kiss of an everlasting love. 


End file.
